News Snippets

Some snippets from the news today that caught my attention.

Sharon Ready for Talks with Post-Arafat Palestinian Leadership

Israeli Prime Minister Sharon has indicated he is ready to open negotiations with a new Palestinian leadership as the void left by Arafat's departure to Paris is filled by his closest lieutenants. With former Palestinian premier Mahmud Abbas now at the helm of the PLO and Arafat's Fatah faction, the prospect of a resumption of talks has grown sharply. "If a new Palestinian leadership which is both serious and responsible emerges, it is possible that there can be a resumption of negotiations on the roadmap" peace plan, Sharon told the Cabinet Sunday. "A new leadership must prove by its actions that it is fighting against terrorism," he said. (Telegraph-UK)

Palestinian Mortar Wounds Israeli in Gaza Strip Synagogue

An Israeli was seriously injured at morning prayer Sunday when Palestinian mortars struck a synagogue at Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip. In all, 17 shells were fired at Jewish towns on Saturday night and Sunday morning, Army Radio reported. (Ha'aretz)

"You Never Think It Will Happen To You..." - Words that Israelis don't say anymore.

Nearly one in every five Israelis has lost a family member or friend in a terrorist attack since the start of the violence, according to research conducted by Prof. Gabriel Ben-Dor and Dr. Dafna Kanti-Nissim of Haifa

BBC reporter weeps over Arafat's fate

But where were the people, I wondered, the mass demonstrations of solidarity, the frantic expressions of concern? Was this another story we Western journalists were getting wrong, bombarding the world with news of what we think is an historic event, while the locals get on with their lives? Yet when the helicopter carrying the frail old man rose above his ruined compound, I started to cry... without warning.